After the shopping trip, the teens walked back to the school together, and then separated.

"Ugh, walking is exhausting." Plagg groaned.

"You're using my muscles, you know." Adrien spoke, poking out of the pocket. "I don't usually walk this much, since my bodyguard drives me everywhere."

"Well, then I'm sure this is good for you." Plagg stomped in big steps. "But I haven't used legs since the last time I switched with a wielder, so I get to complain."

"I think by that logic, you don't get to complain, because you usually get to float. And not going to lie…it's pretty sweet."

"Just wait until you start floating in your sleep, and then you phase through the ceiling and then keep going and end up in space."

Adrien froze, staring up at his own face from the pocket. "That can happen?"

"Oh yes. Good luck sleeping tonight1"

Not too much longer, Plagg arrived back at the Agreste manor.

He could feel Adrien shaking in his pocket. "What's up, Bub?"

"My father is going to be waiting for you. I just know it. He's going to yell and threaten to pull you out of school—"

"What, like he did this morning? Relax. There's plenty of windows in the mansion."

But Adrien came spiraling out of the shirt to look Plagg in the eyes. "But I don't want you to break anymore windows! I don't want you to make my father angry anymore! You're hurting him!"

Plagg gave him a hard look. "Is that what you think, Adrien? That your disobedience hurts him?"

"Why else would he be mean? He loves me..."

Plagg reached up and scratched his ears. "Of course he does, kid. But...sometimes, in people like your dad, love isn't the strongest motivator. I know it is with you. Love is about the only thing that controls you. Your love for your friends, for your family, your city, for Ladybug...that all drives your decisions."

Adrien was quiet as he agreed.

"But for people like your father, they're driven by power. They base decisions on what will make them look good and get more respect. He does love you, Adrien, but he wants your unconditional loyalty. He doesn't want you to question him, or to disagree with him, because you're his son. He made you, and you're half of him. So if anyone is to be completely submitted to his will, it's you."

Adrien frowned. "I don't believe that. I think...I think he's just scared. Of losing me, that is. Like we lost mom. So he keeps me restricted."

"But he's always treated you like this, even before you lost your mom."

Adrien had no argument to that, and just slowly lowered himself into Plagg's hands.

"Just think about it. I'll do all the talking, you just listen and see."

"Okay."

Plagg tucked him back into the pocket, before approaching the gate and ringing the doorbell.

The camera didn't even come out, the gate just opened.

It felt like walking into a hell mouth.

Inside, Gabriel stood at the bottom of the stairs, with his arms crossed. Next to him, Nathalie stood with her own arms crossed. And next to her stood Lila, with her arms also crossed.

Plagg couldn't help but snicker. They looked like three Russian puzzle dolls. Would Lila pop open and show another smaller, angrier creature?

"What's so funny?" Demanded Gabriel. "Where have you been?"

"Chill man, I was out with my friends."

"And spending my money?"

"You literally let me spend whatever money I want. I just usually never have anything I want to buy. I treat my friends to a nice lunch and it's the end of the world?"

Gabriel sniffed, "you obviously can't see that your so-called 'friends' are only hanging around you because of our wealth. I disprove of the company you keep, especially Mr. Lahiffe—"

"Why?"

"You don't get to question my authority."

"I'm just honestly curious as to why you don't like them. I don't buy stuff for my friends, despite what you think. Nino is a really good friend and a nice person. He doesn't get in trouble, and his grades are pretty good. So what's up?"

"I simply don't care for his plebeian attitude."

Plagg scoffed. "Plebeian?! Excuse me, what century is this again? Are we nobles or something I didn't know about?" He pitched his voice high to have a 'proper' voice. "Oh yes Martha, we shan't have our child run around with the rift raft in the fields. He must get a proper education so he may marry his cousin, have a child with three eyes, and die at the ripe old age at 26!"

"Adrien!" Gabriel yelled. "How dare you mock me!"

"Then stop talking like a 17th century noble! We have money, but high society never did anyone favors! You just sound like an old idiot! An old, out of touch, insensitive idiot!" Then he pointed at Lila. "And if you want to talk about people taking advantage of us, why don't you turn yourself 90 degrees that-a-way to grill this blood sucking parasite."

"On the contrary," Gabriel interrupted. "Miss Rossi only has your best interests at heart, which is why she came here and told me all about your little charade you put on during school today. You assaulted your bodyguard!"

"He's fine."

"Whether or not he's fine is beside the point, Adrien. I hired him to protect you, and you attack him?"

"He wasn't protecting me. He was trying to kidnap me! I wanted to be at school!"

"Well naughty children don't get to do what they want to do!"

"Do you want me to be happy or stupid?!"

"No! Wait—"

"Ah ha!" Plagg pointed. "You just want me to be miserable!"

Gabriel flared his nostrils. "Stop trying to twist my words. The fact remains that you have been completely out of control these last few days, and I have no choice but to discipline you accordingly. From now on, you will have no contact with these teenagers that are encouraging you to behave like this monster. Instead, you will only be allowed to interact with Miss Rossi at photo shoots."

Plagg saw the corner of the man's mouth curve up. Check mate, the gesture said.

Time to take it up a notch.

"I'm not sure the best way to handle this situation, so I'll handle it the way Chloe would." He laid down on the floor and began to kick and scream. "DADDY! DADDY I HATE HER! FIRE HER AT ONCE!"

"If you don't stop this tantrum this instant, you're being pulled out of school."

"Ha!" He laughed, still from the floor. "I'll just reenroll! I broke one window getting out the first time, there's not a lock in this earth that can hold me, old man."

"Adrien, go to your room."

"Make me."

"You're angering me, and you won't like me when I'm angry."

"I don't like you now."

"This attitude of yours is disrespectful, disgusting, immature, and embarrassing. I raised you better than—"

"Are you done?" Plagg asked, scratching his ear. "Because you just keep talking. That's all you do. This gaslighting is getting really old. I know I'm acting immature, that's the whole thing. Pointing it out just makes you look stupid. Are you going to hit me or something?"

"I'm not going to hit you, Adrien."

"Huh. Didn't know you had it in you."

Gabriel frowned. "You really think I would hit you?"

"You've already hit emotional and verbal abuse, I assumed that was the next step."

"I am not abusive! I am strict, but I only have your best interests at heart."

"Right, like making me schmooze with Miss Sausage Hair here?"

"Hey!" Lila cried.

"Oh shut up, you're plenty at fault here too."

"That's it. Adrien, you're grounded. No phone, no computer, no tv, no video games, and no school."

"So you want me to just sit in my room and stare out the window? Or are you going to board those up too?"

"There's plenty of books for you to read. Books that will hopefully change your mind about this rebellious streak."

"Until when?"

"Until I say so!"

"Cool. I quit modeling."

"WHAT!?"

"You heard me. I quit modeling. Or you can fire Lila and unground me. Your choice, Gabe."

Gabriel ground his teeth as Lila just stood there in shock.

"I'll give you some time to think about it." Plagg cracked his neck. "I've got homework to do."

"But—"

"Ah ah ah," Plagg held up a hand. "Talk to the hand, cause the face ain't listening." He skipped up the stairs, and out of the lobby.

Gabriel simmered in rage, feeling the control which had been so firmly in his hands slip away.

"Mr. Agreste—" Lila began.

"No." He interrupted. "I need some time to think. Keep your eye on Adrien and let me know exactly what he's up to, who he's with, what he's doing. You do this, and I will reward you greatly."

"Of course, Mr. Agreste."

—

As soon as Plagg closed the bedroom door, Adrien spiraled out of his pocket.

"Hey kid, I know that was rough..."

"Rough?! No kidding! You're a monster! How could you talk to my father like that!? How could you insinuate that he would hit me? And you got me grounded and pulled from school! You quit modeling!"

"Honestly Adrien, I thought he might hit me. His anger reflects violence. You see it too."

Adrien rubbed his paws over his cheeks, trying to stop the tears.

"Come on kid, it's for the best." And he reached out for him.

But Adrien darted away. "I'm going to see Tikki! I need comfort from someone that's not trying to ruin my life!"

Before Plagg could protest, Adrien had flitted out the window and into the streets.

The sun was setting, and traffic was dwindling, as working folks made their way home.

Finding Marinette's house was a matter of finding the school, and then going from there, while sticking to the shadows and staying high enough away from straying eyes.

When he reached her balcony, he loitered at the window, trying to figure out how to phase in. Then he wondered if he should even bother. Tikki might scold him for leaving Plagg. Or maybe she'd laugh at him for being upset. She was millennia old too. His problems probably would sound trivial to her as well.

Eventually, he just knocked.

Marinette answered, a grave look on her face. "Plagg? What's wrong? Why are you crying? Is Chat okay?"

"He's fine." Adrien sniffed. "Can I talk to Tikki please?"

Shocked by his politeness and shy demeanor, she blinked twice and answered, "Uh, sure."

Tikki appeared then, looking at him with concerned eyes.

"I'll just leave you two alone then," Marinette stated, closing the window.

"Adrien? What's wrong?"

It all came out of him then. "He's a monster!" Adrien blubbered. "He's ruining everything and making it all worse! I don't know how to stop him! But my father is done with me and is going to pull me out of school! Plagg keeps acting like it's no big deal, but he doesn't understand! He's just treating this like a big game!"

To his relief, Tikki hugged him tightly. "Oh Adrien. Plagg means well, I promise. His methods don't make much sense, but they do produce results. It'll be alright."

Adrien just sniffed, taking comfort from the hug. "I feel so helpless. I can't do anything without outing myself as Chat Noir, and that's the last thing I need...unless Plagg beats me to it. I know everyone is suspicious of him. This is a nightmare."

"I'll talk to him when I get a chance," promised Tikki. "He does mean well, I promise. But this is your life, and making you watch him work is torture."

"Exactly! Tikki you understand! If he does pull this off, I will thank him, but like...what if it doesn't work? He acts like humans are so predictable and easy to manipulate, but even with all his life and experiences, he can't account for everything. I'm worried he's being too cocky."

Tikki petted his head. "Plagg can get over his head sometimes. He's lazy and stubborn, but that just makes him ridiculously creative. Some of his attempts may fail, but I really think you just have to trust that he's in control."

"I know, I know, and in my head, I know he's doing this for me. I know he doesn't want to be in my body, and I know he's crazy smart…but I feel…betrayed? Scared? I don't know what I'm feeling."

"Unstable." Tikki provided. "Because you have no control over your life."

He frowned, holding onto his tail.

"But, from what Plagg has told me, you didn't have much control of it before either."

He rubbed a paw against his cheek. "Sadly, no. I didn't."

The trap door opened again, and Marinette peeked her head out. She placed a plate with a cheese danish on it on the ground nearby. "Anything I can do?"

Tikki answered for him, only slightly lying, "sometimes Plagg gets emotional when he thinks about past holders that we lost tragically. He said Chat was busy and he didn't want to bother him."

"Oh Plagg, I'm so sorry."

Adrien rubbed his eyes with his paws again. He may not be in his body, but he did feel a little embarrassed to be crying in front of his crush.

"Say Marinette, now that you're the guardian, it would be really helpful if you could comfort him."

"Me? I...I guess. What do I do?"

"Just do what feels right."

Adrien floated a little closer to her, desperate for her affection, but hesitant to take it for himself.

She cupped him in her hands, cradling him, holding him, cocooning him with her skin. She brought him up to her face, leaving a lingering kiss right between his ears, then caressed him to her cheek, her fingers encircling him in a hug.

A stray finger itched the back of his head, sending tingles all the way down to his tail and making him purr.

This was heavenly. Her scent surrounded him, dulling his senses and calming his tears.

"It's okay." She said softly. "It's alright to be sad. Things will get better."

Her words soothed the day's pain, and he really did feel more optimistic. He could do anything with Ladybug's support.

Finally, he pressed a little kiss to her cheek and allowed her to pull away. "Thank you Marinette. I do feel a lot better now."

Her smile was so warm and so wonderful, he could stare at her all day.

But an Akuma alert had to go and ruin the whole thing.

"You better get back to Chat! If you need more comfort, come back tonight after patrol!"

"Thanks Marinette! Save that Danish for me!" And he rushed off back to the mansion.